1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus for activation of a digesting agent. The invention has application for the complete or partial bio-degradation of an organic material.
The term "organic material" as used herein is intended to embrace excrement from humans and other animals, and waste from kitchens (for example, kitchens of restaurants, hotels, public houses, hospitals and schools); bathrooms; meat and poultry processing plants; slaughterhouses; and plants from the pulping, food processing, wool scouring, rendering, tanning and fermentation industries and the like.
The invention has particular application in the preventative maintenance of a drainage system, so as to inhibit the formation of grease/sludge blockages therein.
A drainage system typically comprises a downpipe communicating with a U-shaped trap which in turn communicates with a substantially horizontal pipe leading into a grease trap downstream of which is either a septic tank or a main waste outlet.
2. Background Art
Grease, oils and fats are used extensively in food preparation and cooking. Whilst warm, they are free-flowing but as they cool down, they start to solidify causing obstruction or blockage of drainage systems.
It is known to incorporate a grease trap in a drainage system to separate grease from the waste watersby making use of the ability of grease globules to float on water. Such a grease trap has a deflector disposed adjacent a waste inlet and a baffle disposed adjacent a waste outlet. The deflector and the baffle partially define a central chamber. Such a grease trap reduces the speed of incoming waste water using the deflector and the grease globules then rise into the central chamber of the grease trap to form a grease layer in the central chamber. The water underneath the grease layer is forced out of the grease trap under the baffle by the incoming waste water. The grease trap is provided with an opening to permit removal of the grease layer trapped in the central chamber at regular intervals.
Digesting agents may be used wherever organic material is present, including bathroom maintenance; odor control and surface cleaning; laundry pre-spotting; garbage disposal; trap and drain maintenance, carpet and fabric care; waste water systems; porta-toilets and roller vehicle (mobile homes, caravans, campers and the like) applications; and cattle, pig and animal shelters and feed lots.
Specifically, various digesting agents have been developed to digest grease and sludge (protein, starch and/or fat deposits) into an aqueous solution or suspension, which can be washed away with the waste water. Such digesting agents may include aerobic and/or anaerobic bacteria and, optionally, enzymes. Suitable enzymes, when present, include porteases, amylases, lipases and/or cellulases. The bacteria and/or enzyme(s) of the digesting agent are chosen, having regard to the nature of the organic material for bio-degradation.
One such digesting agent is distributed in Ireland under the Trademark "Super Chemzyme III" by National Chemsearch (Ireland) Limited of Unit B, Airport Industrial Estate, Santry, Dublin 9, Ireland. "Super Chemzyme III" is manufactured by NCH of Mohawk Laboratories, Ripley, Derbyshire, United Kingdom. "Super Chemzyme III" contains compatible non-competing types of bacteria in a viscous, relatively stable suspension/emulsion. "Super Chemzyme III" comprises a cocktail of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria sourced from citrus fruit. The bacteria produce specific enzymes to attack carbohydrate, protein and fats. "Super Chemzyme III" also comprises a surfactant or grease emulsifier--BE 32--to break up oily deposits into smaller suspended particles, thereby increasing the surface area in contact with the enzymes produced by the bacteria.
Another such digesting agent is distributed in Ireland under the Trademark "BIO-CAT WD10" by T. C. BIO LIMITED of Unit 5, Newtown Industrial Estate, Newtownmountkennedy, County Wicklow, Ireland. "BIO-CAT WD10" is manufactured by Hallmark Industries Incorporated of 564 Kings Highway, West Springfield, Mass. 01089, Unites Stated of America and is distributed throughout the United States of America by Bio-Catalytic Enterprises Incorporated of 495 Post Road East, Westport, Conn. 06880, United States of America. "BIO-CAT WD10" is a concentrated suspension of bacterial spores consisting of multiple species of selected Bacillus micro-organisms and stabilized enzyme systems. "BIO-CAT WD10" also incorporates bio-degradable surfactants.
It is known that efficiency is optimized by introducing the digesting agent into the horizontal pipe of the drainage system during a period when the water flow rate therethrough is at its lowest and when the temperature of the waste water is less than 60.degree. C., for example, at night-time. It is also known that the digesting agent typically needs to remain in the grease trap for a period of 4-5 hours, so as to act on the grease layer trapped in the central chamber of the grease trap. This preventative procedure relies on an operator remembering to manually introduce the digesting agent at an appropriate time following which the drainage system is expected to be quiescent and the waste water in the drainage system is expected to be at a temperature of less than 60.degree. C. Furthermore, following the introduction of the digesting agent, a period of time (typically 20-120 minutes) elapses before the digesting agent becomes fully active.
To overcome lapses of human memory, a battery operated peristaltic pump with an integrated programmable timer was developed to introduce the appropriate charge of digesting agent into the horizontal pipe of the drainage system at a pre-selected time.
The disadvantage of the known peristaltic pump and, indeed, of the manual procedure is that the time period when the drainage system is quiescent and when the waste water therein is at a temperature of less than 60.degree. C. may not be sufficiently long to permit complete bio-degradation of the grease/sludge by the digesting agent.
It is also known to recycle an aliquot of activated sludge in an apparatus for bio-degrading an organic material with a digesting agent. However, such activated sludge may contain undesired active micro-organisms and enzymes, which are contemporaneously present in the organic material, as well as the desired activated micro-organisms and enzymes. The concentration of the desired activated digesting agent in such activated sludge depends on the activation conditions, e.g., the incubation temperature and time, the incubation pH, the amount of nutrient factors and co-enzymes present, etc. The concentration of undesired activated micro-organisms depends on the nature of the organic material, which can fluctuate widely within each day and from day to day. The undesired activated micro-organisms and enzymes may hinder the activity of the desired micro-organisms and enzymes.